Stigma around common mental health conditions is far lower than people experiencing them may believe, according to new data from Beyond Blue.
Two in three people with an anxiety condition believe others may see it as "a sign of personal weakness", but Beyond Blue found the perception of stigma did not match reality.
Beyond Blue CEO, Georgie Harman, wants people experiencing an anxiety condition to know others do not judge them as “weak”.Credit:Beyond Blue
Ninety per cent of people believe anxiety is a real medical illness, the group's data showed, and 86 per cent of those surveyed said they did not consider it a weakness.
Eighty-six per cent do not believe the condition is something "you can just snap out of".
"We are really encouraged by this, I think mountains have been moved in the way everyday people are starting to think about common mental health issues," said Beyond Blue CEO, Georgie Harman.
The findings come as Beyond Blue launches an online quiz to help people check their mental health, especially for signs of Australia's most common mental illness, anxiety.
"People get that these (anxiety and depression) are real illnesses, and it's not a case of, 'suck up some cement, sweetheart and pull yourself out of it'."
Ms Harman, who this year began publicly discussing her own past episode of depression, said she hoped the survey results would prompt people to seek professional support if they were experiencing symptoms.
"The self-shame, self-stigma and fear we place on ourselves is stopping people getting better," she said. One in five Australian workers would experience a mental health issue each year.
“We want people experiencing these issues to know they need not feel alone or misunderstood – that people are perhaps more accepting than you might think.
“And we want people to realise that reaching out for support shouldn’t be a source or shame.”
Since she has disclosed her own story at large public events, Ms Harman says "the response I receive is always absolutely phenomenal".
"The reaction is usually one of two things: people come up and say, 'that's really brave', and I say 'um, actually I don't think it is … I think it's necessary of me, we've got to start talking about (depression) differently, and not something that's 'other'.
"The other reaction I get is, it seems to spark a whole bunch of other people to disclose (mental health issues) to me. Quite often I'll be contacted at the event, with people coming up and having a quiet word, or people contacting me after it."
Some people have asked Harman if she believes her disclosure of a stress-related bout of depression could "ruin your career prospects".
Her response is a message of strength to others: "The way I think about it is, I must do this. The only way we're going to break down stigma, discrimination and prejudice is by showing you can live with a mental health challenge and be successful, and function at work.
"It doesn't change your competencies, skills or qualifications, and most of the time it doesn't change your ability to do your job."
The new mental health quiz, part of the "What you’re thinking isn’t what they’re thinking" campaign starting today, is available at beyondblue.org.au/knowanxiety.
Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636 or online here.
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